Loan players
The return of Marlon Harewood on a short-term contract, after a spell in China, hasnai??i??t exactly proved to be the homecoming he, or anybody, wanted. And fans scoffed as Cotterill added three defenders on loan during the transfer window as Wes Morgan left for Leicester City. But, in addition to Adlene Guedioura, the squad has looked far more balanced with Danny Higginbotham, George Elokobi and Scott Wootton.
Guedioura, in particular, has added the drive and determination the midfield had been lacking all season while the back four has options now rather than being forced to use players out of position. While the lack of a left-back has been something of a running joke at Forest, Greg Cunningham has ably filled the position since Cotterillai??i??s arrival and the addition of Elokobi to cover his injury gives Forest options in almost every position across the field. Higginbothamai??i??s absence due to injury against Doncaster was telling.
Square pegs in square holes
The classic Billy Davies phrase, ai???square pegs in round holesai???, continued through McClaren and Cotterillai??i??s management as they used ai??i?? either enforced or on purpose ai??i?? players out of position, usually to the detriment of individual and team performance. In recent weeks, Cotterill has had the luxury of being able to use full-backs at full-back, centre-backs at centre-back and wingers on the wing.
Donai??i??t laugh ai??i?? a squad toploaded with central midfielders and strikers has struggled to play any of the various formations adopted this season. Worse still, despite a choice of seven strikers, scoring appeared almost impossible ai??i?? largely down the fact there was no service from the wings while the midfield seemed more concerned with covering the makeshift back four.
Garath McCleary
After 20-odd games with no one really hitting any kind of form it was inevitable ai??i?? well, maybe inevitable ai??i?? that somebody would hit a purple patch. McClearyai??i??s extended run in the first team has clearly given him the confidence to take on defenders, prompting the kind of mazy runs and shots from outside the box that have seen three goals in four games.
Forestai??i??s lack of width all season has been an issue and McClearyai??i??s presence on the right, with Andy Reid on the left, ultimately gives the team balance with both providing the balls into the box that the strikers have been lacking. Dexter Blackstockai??i??s return to fitness and form ai??i?? also with three goals in four games ai??i?? might just offer what the team needs.
Sean Oai??i??Driscoll
We havenai??i??t seen or heard much of the former Doncaster Rovers manager but the assistant manager/first-team coachai??i??s presence is taking its effect on the pitch. While the main criticism of Cotterill ai??i?? before he arrived and in recent weeks ai??i?? is the tendency to resort to hoofing the ball up the pitch, Oai??i??Driscoll is very much a man determined to play football the ai???right wayai??i??.
The first-half performance against Coventry might have been poor but substitutions and a tactical change at half-time saw a much-improved side score two goals. The away game against Birmingham, the leagueai??i??s form team at the time, was by all accounts an impressive performance. Thereai??i??s clearly no quick fix for defensive errors and imposing a new playing style but, between the odd abject game, Forest have managed to play some good, passing football when their confidence is up.
The other teams
Portsmouthai??i??s second stint in administration in as many years has plunged them into the relegation zone, meaning there are six teams currently battling the drop. Coventry and Doncaster both looked in trouble a few weeks ago but have grabbed points while Bristol City and Millwallai??i??s inconsistency means itai??i??s difficult to predict what will happen. Just a month ago, Forest were two points off the bottom and five points from safety.
Prior to Tuesday nightai??i??s game against Doncaster, Forest were out of the bottom three with, seemingly, their destiny in their own hands. Losing to the bottom club piles the pressure on for Saturdayai??i??s home game against Millwall ahead of a tough run against Derby, Leeds, Brighton and Leicester. But still with a game in hand on most of the clubs around them, Forest still have the upper hand rather than depending on other results going their way.
—-
Written by guest authorAi??Pat Riddell fromAi??http://seatpitch.co.uk andAi??@SeatPitch
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